B Dorian mode
B Dorian mode is B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A, with C♯, F♯ and G♯. Formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
The notes, one step at a time
Counted in steps it goes W H W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between C♯–D and G♯–A.
| Degree | Note | Interval from B | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root | |
| 2 | C♯ | major second | |
| ♭3 | D | minor third | |
| 4 | E | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | F♯ | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | G♯ | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | A | minor seventh |
The sound of B Dorian mode
Compared with B natural minor, B Dorian raises one note: the 6th, to G♯. That's the note to lean on if you want the mode to sound like itself.
The Dorian vamp is Bm to E: a minor chord going to a major IV, which only happens because of the raised 6th (G♯).
Compared with B natural minor scale, B Dorian mode has G♯ where the other has G; the other six notes are shared. Hear B natural minor scale and compare.
B Dorian mode uses the same seven notes as A major, starting from B instead of A. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Dorian is playing it over a B bass or chord.
On piano and on guitar
C♯, F♯ and G♯ are on black keys; the rest are white.
On guitar the root sits at the 7th fret of the low E string. The box above covers frets 5–11 and holds 17 notes of the scale across all six strings; play it low string to high.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit B Dorian mode; the ones that differ from the A major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
Same notes, different home: C♯ Phrygian (starting on the 2nd note, C♯), D Lydian (starting on the 3rd note, D), E Mixolydian (starting on the 4th note, E), F♯ natural minor (starting on the 5th note, F♯), G♯ Locrian (starting on the 6th note, G♯) and A major (starting on the 7th note, A). Play any of them over a drone on its first note and the mood changes, even though the keys you press don't.
Finding B Dorian on the neck
Anchor points for B: low E string fret 7, A string fret 2 and 14. Most guitarists learn it in five overlapping positions; on the low E string they begin around frets 2, 4, 7, 9 and 12. Over a minor chord, play natural minor first, then raise the 6th to hear Dorian lift the sound.
On the piano, B Dorian mode uses 3 black keys (C♯, F♯ and G♯) and 4 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: B–D, C♯–E, D–F♯, E–G♯, F♯–A, G♯–B, A–C♯.
Three ways to practise B Dorian
Running a scale straight up and down only teaches the order. These patterns use the same 7 notes and train your ear and fingers to jump around inside B Dorian mode.
- Groups of three: B C♯ D · C♯ D E · D E F♯ · E F♯ G♯ · F♯ G♯ A · G♯ A B.
- Lean on G♯: B G♯ B G♯ B: the natural 6th lifts it above natural minor.
Try next, from B
Dorian mode in every key
B Dorian mode: questions
What are the notes of the B Dorian mode?
B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A, B. As degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the B Dorian mode?
Three: C♯, F♯ and G♯.
What chords are in the B Dorian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives Bm (i), C♯m (ii), D (III), E (IV), F♯m (v), G♯dim (vi°) and A (VII).
What's the difference between B Dorian mode and B natural minor scale?
G♯ in B Dorian; G in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as B Dorian mode?
A major. B Dorian is A major played from its 2nd note, B.
Generated from the step pattern 2-1-2-2-2-1-2 and checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.